Sheldon L Dickinson

Sheldon L Dickinson, 92, died Wednesday, December 11, 2019, in his home in Buena Park, California, following a brief illness.

He leaves his wife of 68 years, LaVona (Gilgen) Dickinson; his son Lee Dickinson and his wife Cherilyn; his daughter Ramona Watts; his daughter Debbie Womack and her husband Layne; his son Roy Dickinson and his wife Valerie; his daughter Annetta Eby and her husband Michael; his daughter Barbara Dickinson; his son Paul Dickinson and his wife Lori; his daughter Stacy Elliott and her husband Pete; his sister Alta Stoker and her husband Lyndon; and his sister, Bonnie Gurr. Sheldon has 39 grandchildren and 61 great-grandchildren with more on the way.

Born in Monroe, Utah, the son of Otis Alonzo Dickinson, Jr., and Hannah Mattie (Haslam), he was the oldest of six children: Sheldon, Darline, Eldon, Bonnie, Alta, and Mary.

In his early years, Sheldon spent his summers herding sheep in the mountains of Utah and his winters taking care of his mother and siblings while his father was away tending sheep. He loved the beauty of the earth with its gorgeous sunset and fields of wildflowers. He was named all-around athlete in his junior high school and tied for his school's champion lightweight boxer. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New England States, one of the last groups to share the gospel without purse or scrip. Sheldon served in the Korean War. He obtained the rank of Sergeant and became battalion communications chief. Sheldon graduated with honors with a Masters in Industrial Arts from Utah State University. He received his teaching credentials in Industrial Arts and taught in that field for many years in high school, college, and night schools. For eight years he taught graphic computer servicing and repair to field service engineers from around the world. He also taught math and blueprint reading at a private training school.

Sheldon's hobbies included doing many projects with his wife, such as buying houses and fixing them for rental properties or selling them. One of their projects was restoring a pioneer rock house town monument in North Logan, Utah. Their most ambitious project was building a barn together on their property in Old Iron Town, Cedar City, Utah. Later they planned and built a family center on this property, a large home designed to host their family reunions and gatherings. One of his biggest projects was helping build the church house where Sheldon and LaVona have attended church since 1965; he was one of the electronics specialists. Sheldon is the master fixer. His last repair was putting a latch on a gate at a rental property shortly before he went into the hospital.

Sheldon loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spent his life in service. He was a Bishop, High Counselor and in other leadership positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a mission with his wife LaVona in Chicago, as well as a service mission together as directors of the Cypress Stake Family History Center. At the time of his death he was serving as a ward missionary. Sheldon was a true disciple of Christ.